How Other Presidents Reacted to Abraham Lincoln's Death

The reactions of several presidents to the death of Abraham Lincoln have been well documented. Previous and future presidents had different relationships with Lincoln yet almost universally mourned his death and reacted with expressions of grief and sadness.
0:00 Introduction
0:09 Millard Fillmore
1:42 Franklin Pierce
3:21 James Buchanan
4:20 Andrew Johnson
5:24 Ulysses S. Grant
6:26 Rutherford B. Hayes
7:07 James A. Garfield
8:30 Later Presidents
On April 14, 1865 Lincoln was attending the Ford's Theatre with his wife Mary Todd Lincoln when he was shot in the back of the head by Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Booth. He died the following day on April 15, 1865. At the time President Abraham Lincoln was killed three former presidents were still living along with eleven men who would one day become president.
His predecessors, Democrats Franklin Pierce and James Buchanan were often in political opposition to the Republican President. Buchanan spoke in a letter to Horatio King about how he had admired Lincoln and considered his death to be a great loss to the nation. Pierce the death as a tragedy yet seemed to show less remorse as his house wasn't decorated in black drapes. Former President Pierce had been one of Lincoln's fiercest critics and had been a friend of Jefferson Davis. He blamed President Lincoln personally and solely for the Civil War.
13th President Millard Fillmore was the earliest president still living at the time Booth killed Lincoln. He and his militia in Buffalo, New York personally escorted Lincoln's funeral train during the procession.
The Civil War general presidents - Ulysses S. Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes and James A. Garfield had some of the best documented reactions to Lincoln's killing. They were all fellow Republicans who shared camaraderie in the Union Cause of anti-slavery. Perhaps most devastated of all was Grant who considered Lincoln not just a commander or political ally but also a friend.
Andrew Johnson was serving as Abraham Lincoln's Vice President and would go on to take the office for himself. He reacted with rage upon learning of the shooting and vowed revenge on John Wilkes Booth and the other conspirators.
Less is known of the reactions of later presidents such as Chester A. Arthur, Grover Cleveland, Benjamin Harrison and William McKinley. Even later American Presidents such as Theodore Roosvelt, William Howard Taft and Woodrow Wilson were only children; however, a photo of Lincoln's funeral procession does feature Teddy Roosevelt (along with his brother Elliot) among the watchers. Reacts
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For your entertainment.

[@iammaxhailme]

hearing that people just walked up to an ex-president's house (pierce) and heckled him shows how different the world was

[@xeixi3789]

Fr

[@logananderson8395]

On gahd on gahd

[@warlordofbritannia]

I like that more than the veneration of the office we ostensibly have today. It’s hard to believe in a sacrosanct public figurehead when we’ve had a perjury-committing adulterer, a jingoistic buffoon, the ineffectual Obama, another perjury-committing adulterer who committed treason, and now a senile old man.

[@robertortiz-wilson1588]

Really glad you pointed that out!

[@toohacked]

Nowadays the “poors” aren’t allowed near the president lol. Soon Washington DC will have a minimum wealth for residency

[@dr.veronica6155]

Also worth mentioning that Grant partially blamed himself for Lincoln's death due to the fact that he had been invited to join him, and as such felt that he should have been there to protect him.

[@padre619]

Nahhh dude I’d be there for my homie Lincoln if I was grant that’s kinda shitty, not like shitty on him that just sucks

[@TheMasonK]

@@padre619 it had more to do with Lincoln’s wife treating Grant’s wife horribly. The Rathbones went in their place. Sadly Mr. Rathbone went insane after the assassination and years later killed his own wife I believe.

[@PotterPossum1989]

Grant should have gone, he could have gotten a twofer.

[@RRW359]

Didn't Booth plan on that and wanted to kill him as well?

[@TheMasonK]

@@RRW359 yes Grant was also originally a target.

[@florianseaman6289]

It really also speaks volumes that the Confederate President Jefferson Davis himself seemed to at least somewhat mourn Lincoln, after Lincoln was shot and killed Davis wrote in a memoir „Next to the end of the Confederacy itself, the Death of Abraham Lincoln was the darkest day for South“

[@jacobite2353]

Nah that traitor Johnson allowed the Southern democrats to hold onto power, it was definitely a good event for the southern treasonous hags.

[@kylec.9092]

Besides Grant and a select few, Lincoln was one of the only people who wanted to attempt reconstruction, let alone for it to succeed. Davis was probably shocked when he was pardoned and thankful to Lincoln's administration for allowing him to live free in the union once again. He possibly, reluctantly, envisioned a world where the South might be able to peacefully coexist with their once great enemy and move on as if the war never happened, but upon Lincoln's death, he must've known that could never happen until they were long gone.

[@villadelrefugio]

Sounds a lot like Admiral Yamamoto after the Pearl Harbour attaks in Hawaii where he is recorded saying in lament "We have awoken the sleeping giant"

[@warlordofbritannia]

Of course Davis spent the rest of his memoirs painting Lincoln as a war-mongering tyrant, so it’s hard to take that one sentence seriously

[@sharplydressedrabbit3604]

He was right. Lincoln's death brought with it the end of the successful reintegration of the South. Something that was only alleviated many decades later.

[@khalifbrown2709]

Fillmore is always somewhere else when big events happen

[@davidgreene6976]

Like a police man.🤣🤣🤣😂

[@nobodyburgen4594]

Forrest Gump shit

[@ethanfairweather8736]

For the record, Abraham Lincoln was Theodore Roosevelt’s hero. He idolized President Lincoln.

[@stanandollie7041]

More fool him.

[@LiteralCrimeRave]

@@stanandollie7041 ?

[@PreziesLover327]

Teedie, as he was called then, was just a child of 6 1/2 when Lincoln was slain, but he was aware that the great President was assassinated, and was even photographed in the window of his home when the Lincoln funeral train was passing through.

[@danielkaranja7978]

@@ethanfairweather8736 By Eleanor Roosevet, are you referring specifically to FDR's wife? If so, she was definitely born after Lincoln's assassination.

[@ethanfairweather8736]

@@Koopalingfan in October of 1902 there was a massive coal strike in America. Theodore Roosevelt was recovering from a carriage accident at the time. While he was recovering, he read this multivolume biography on Abraham Lincoln by Nicolay & Hay. There were times when Abraham Lincoln had to suspend basic constitutional rights because we were in a Civil War. Roosevelt used that as precedent to order the army to run the coal mines themselves. He basically threatened to nationalize the coal industry. His grounds for involving the military on domestic affairs was that he was in a war too. Not a who, but a white: chaos. It was October and winter was coming.

[@glnnchrstphr9717]

"The greatest man I have ever known." Quote by George Santos.

[@robertboekee8733]

😂😂

[@mr.joshua6818]

If I remember correctly, he pursued John Wilkes Booth on foot until a squad of Confederate ninjas swarmed in. He defeated all 50 single handedly, though they gave Booth enough time to make his escape.

[@owlcowl]

Nope, thats actually a quote from Anthony Duvolder.

[@dakotabrignac7415]

@@mr.joshua6818 After he beat them he gave them a speech about being better and they all clapped. Edit: shit spelling

[@mr.joshua6818]

@@dakotabrignac7415 definitely.

[@davidpumpkinsjr.5108]

Fillmore was a dick, but people throwing ink at his house for not displaying signs of mourning when he wasn't even home; that's not cool. I'm surprised Franklin Pierce was sober enough to be that eloquent. Another reason Grant didn't go to the theater that night was because Julia Grant didn't like Mary Lincoln.

[@dim6508]

so the only time wife rivalries have been helpful for a husband?

[@Gravelgratious]

Cut Franklin Pierce slack for drinking. He did see his son get beheaded in a train accident on the way to Washington D.C

[@JIMANGRYFOOTCOMICS]

Women right?

[@darknessoftruth9314]

It was mostly because Mary Lincoln was horrible to the wives of the generals

[@ryanhernandez8324]

Most reasonable American political mob

[@ungusbungus2486]

Garfield talking about Lincoln’s fate not knowing he would end up the same way:

[@Mae_Dastardly]

He should have given Charles Getout the job in paris

[@Official.Prez.Graves]

McKinley didn’t see it coming either

[@elagabalusrex390]

His middle name was Abram too - very similar to Lincolns first name - how's that for a scary coincidence? I think maybe prospective presidents should avoid names like Abraham and Kennedy...seem to be a little cursed.

[@west8715]

I'm honestly kind of shocked by the fact that there is a photo of Theodore Roosevelt at Lincoln's funeral procession, not only was this historic moment captured but it was preserved to the present.

[@prettyshinyspaghetti8332]

Same here. We all know of the famous photo of JFK shaking hands with future President Clinton, but now there are 2 photos of a President and a future president in the same shot

[@gregrambo606]

"Manhunt. The 12 day search for Lincoln's killers" by John Swanson is about as riveting a book as you'll ever read about the assassination.

[@resyndicated]

Added to the reading list. Thank you for the recommendation!

[@jman52209]

"Chasing lincoln's killer" by John Swanson as well is also a great read.

[@maxeddie1789]

James L. Swanson, and he wrote both books

[@chriscothran8744]

I can imagine being in the crowd in front of Pierce's home and as he's halfway through his rant saying, "Just put the damn drapes up Frank."

[@kevinstidham7321]

“C’mon Frank, he has a point. It’s a pretty reasonable request and everyone else on the block has done it. It’s nice of us even to include you in this considering that Jeff Davis was your Secretary of War and we found that quasi-treasonous letter you sent him.”

[@Skip2105]

Could you possibly do one about how different presidents reacted to John Tyler’s ascension? We’d love to hear your talented research on the subject

[@resyndicated]

That's a good topic, provided there's enough information out there for a full video. Thank you for the suggestion.

[@shahrulamar5358]

Until few years ago 2 of President Tyler grandchildren were still alived. 😮😮

[@MFPhoto1]

Read the book Accidental Presidents by Jered Cohen. It has some very interesting information on Tyler and his presidency.

[@rehanakhund2578]

@@shahrulamar5358 I believe one is still alive actually.

[@pavan923]

A video about reactions to his death would also be interesting given the fact that when the War began, Tyler opted to become a traitor and become a representative in the Confederate Congress, meaning the reactions would likely be very mixed

[@nmgscp]

Harding's reaction to Lincoln assassination: he kicked in his mother's belly

[@judyradtke7433]

Even though Buchanan was a terrible president, at least he felt more sympathy at Lincoln 's assassination than Fillmore or Pierce.

[@warlordofbritannia]

I view Pierce as the actual worst, since he let Bloody Kansas start, condoned filibustering, etc. Buchanan “only” let the house continue to fall.

[@robertortiz-wilson1588]

Fillmore wasn’t too bad though.

[@dyhall]

Buchanan was a bad president by apathy. I never got the impression that he was a particularly bad person for the time, and it would have taken the greatest leader available to save the Union by the time he got into office. The wheels were already set in motion by his predecessors.

[@LiteralCrimeRave]

@@dyhall Didn't he run the most corrupt administration in US history?

[@smastudiosproductions8713]

I should say that i usually defend Franklin Pierce because his kids (and wife, I believe she died in 1864) were all dead, and his son died three weeks before his inauguration. Pierce was really in no state to run a country. Besides, the civil war falls more on Buchanan's shoulders.

[@cojiro9616]

That's crazy that Roosevelt is in that photo of Lincoln's funeral procession.

[@dolphingoreeaccount7395]

♪ it's a small world after aaalll ♪

[@TheOriginalJphyper]

Even if they didn't like him, they still respected him. That's a trait that's sorely lacking among today's leaders.

[@tomsullivan6032]

Martin Van Buren was on friendly terms with Abe.He lived until 1862.

[@paulngpaulng7970]

Even as an Asian Chinese but one who knows a little about American history,I have a deep respect for Abraham Lincoln and what he did in the emancipation of slavery in your country.I will make mention his name to friends n strangers,that there is no world leaders like him,who is prepared to fight for the rights of another race and in the end be assasinated for it.Right to this day,his name still resounds in history as among one of the greatest man on earth.The word of God has this to say of people like Lincoln Proverbs, Chapter 10 7. The memory of the righteous will be a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot. Psalms 112:6 Surely he will never be shaken; a righteous man will be remembered forever. Praise be to the Lord God Almighty for raising up a man such as this to lead a nation.

[@faulltw]

Hello from America. Thank you for your kind words. I hope our two countries can be at peace

[@ekibirigeable]

Amen!

[@timmayeaux2743]

Lincoln was a lying fraud and atheist. His life and Lenin's were almost identical. both of failure, socialism and murder

[@OldRoy]

for another point of view on Lincoln - kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y6G9eGqpo6pqqrc

[@DeezNuggz]

lmao 😂😂😂 yeah I can see you don't know much about him!

[@ShadowShark619]

Nice video! You should do the same thing with JFK, I'm sure that one would be interesting

[@timmayeaux2743]

no one wants to talk about the insurrection of Nov. 22 1963. Like 9/11, killing JFK (and others) was an inside job.

[@therealjoediaz]

And Garfield and McKinley

[@king_karnivore]

YES!!!

[@nickmoser7785]

Papa doc claim that he was the one who killed JFK with a voodoo spell. I think the Soviets publicly condemned the assassination as well as Castro but their reactions were probably more elated in private

[@heretustay]

second this! JFK would be very interesting

[@supersaiyangodgoku4976]

You taught me a lot, and I started researching myself. Franklin Pierce did so many things to agitate abolitionists, he made Buchanan in a worst situation honestly.

[@mykoniichistorychannel]

Franklin Pierce I’d without a doubt the worst President we’ve had.

[@ThGreat22]

​@@mykoniichistorychannel Andrew Johnson was much worse.

[@elagabalusrex390]

Well Pierce was a doughface (a southern state sympathizer). Ironic, really, given that he was born and grew up in New Hampshire, which was about as progressive a place as you could find in the U.S. at that time...He definitely did nothing to help the situation during his term, but I must assert that Buchanan's mistakes were his own.

[@stephenpierce2242]

Great video! I think another reason Pierce didn't like Lincoln is because I believe he was really good friends with Jefferson Davis. He had Davis as his Defense Secretary during his term

[@alancoe1002]

Or as we more honestly called the office back then, Secretary of War.

[@PreziesLover327]

@Chris P Davis, who was released from prison a year before Pierce died, attended his ex-boss Pierce's funeral in the fall of 1869.

[@leythonlopez-ty5dm]

They look alikd

[@superbearchrist1716]

Knowing Woodrow Wilson, he probably later in life didn't care or thought it was a good thing seeing as Lincoln's policies as well as those close to him like Grant brought a lot of safety measures towards former slaves and was steps towards trying to fully unite without race being a factor. Wilson who passed Jim Crow nationwide and grew up in the South took a bunch of steps backwards which is often why I think he is one of if not the worst president in the nation's history putting people like a meek Buchanan in a positive light and even contesting with Calvin Coolidge whose policies helped bring the great depression though to be fair hoover didn't make it much better. If the enforcement acts stayed in place, I do believe desegregation could have happened earlier, and the influence of the Klan would have been greatly diminished on politics due to there actually being consequences.

[@timber72]

Woodrow Wilson was not just one of the worst presidents we've ever had, he's one of the worst tyrants in all of human history. Woodrow Wilson's policies and ideology directly led to WWII, for example.

[@elagabalusrex390]

Wilson was horrible, especially if you think of all the rotten things we have to thank him for: 1)the establishment of the Federal Reserve, 2) the establishment of the federal income tax, 3) bringing the U.S. into WWI after promising not to, 4)pushing for Jim Crowe laws. A little known fact about Wilson: Practically his first act as president was to fire every black employee in the federal government that he could find.

[@BNardolilli]

"He just died? Wow. I didn't know that...He led an amazing life. What else can you say?" - Andrew Johnson

[@hungarycountryball1056]

Filmore’s home getting attacked for not having morning drapes only because he was out of town must of made him at least a little pissed. 😊

[@robertortiz-wilson1588]

I mean, completely understandable.

[@CypherlineYT]

I was the same guy who answered your question on quora about Arthur's reaction to Lincoln's death. At the time I didn't even know about your channel. such an odd interaction!

[@brunitoforrester]

How did you know it was him?

[@NicklasZandeVGCP2001]

Knowing how much Teddy admired Lincoln, I think he was absolutely angered and saddened by the news.

[@robertortiz-wilson1588]

Thank you for researching this and presenting it here! Fantastic information to know!

[@saino2001]

This is a fascinating account of opinions and reactions that I've never seen (or read) before, and I enjoyed it immensely.

[@BallyBoy95]

Such a tiny channel with 3.83k subscribers, yet you've produced such a piece of gold. Really glad KZbin dropped this into my feed. Thanks for your hard work, I know research is rough (I have to do a fair share myself).

[@Bazoinkerz]

At 2:36 I don't like Franklin Pierce, but he was honestly right to say this. He served his country as both president AND as a veteran of combat. I don't think he needs to justify his patriotism when his actions speak louder.

[@Skip2105]

Such high quality content!

[@zeepsterd]

I love this channel.

[@yolooo5081]

Really well done video. Neat and concise presentation.

[@user-yf6zz3cl8i]

My lord. Men of this age had grammar that was impeccable

[@buffmf]

Great video. Thank you.

[@Skip2105]

Pierce missed the point. Nobody wanted him to make a statement to show his service and loyalty to the country, it was because I man died

[@jamieholtsclaw2305]

Pierce was defending himself and his house against an angry mob.

[@timothywilliams8530]

That’s amazing that we have pictures like that!

[@havehope646]

This video seems well researched I like this video

[@SusieAnderson-ds7dq]

That was a Great Program!❤

[@reptar5.048]

Email Vlogging through history and have him do some reactions, might build a like minded audience! Great content

[@hansalexi]

great video!

[@AxelSqueeze]

I like how in the picture of his funeral Theodore Roosevelt happens to be one of the unidentifiable specks in the window

[@Dlv924]

Excellent video.very interesting

[@jameshubert6103]

Poor Abraham, one of the best legal minds ever known

[@xdanbo1859]

I am not sure if it is true, but I thought the main reason that Grant did not attend the play. Is that Julia Grant did not like Mary Todd Lincoln.

[@smastudiosproductions8713]

It was the other way around, mary todd lincoln didn't like julia grant.

[@xdanbo1859]

@@smastudiosproductions8713 I think it was a mutual. But it has been quite a while since I have watched a bio on Grant or Lincoln.

[@sycowood65]

McKinley probably said “Oh dang I hope that doesn’t happen to me.”

[@PoliticsMadeSimple]

Good video 👍

[@oakley4735]

This reminds me that humanity really doesn’t seem to change all that much as far as society goes…just substitute old things with their new equivalents and it seems almost the same.

[@Connor-fj5rc]

It’s incredible how much more eloquent and articulate politicians were in those days.

[@uv-al]

Great video, but i can't deal with the fact the audio is panned to my left.

[@CJRealHoops1]

0:52 Millard Fillmore in a military uniform looks like Alec Baldwin cast to play Millard Fillmore

[@wyattmcgee1]

You son of a bitch. I can’t unsee it now. Lol

[@jamieholtsclaw2305]

Good thing he wasn't armed.

[@smastudiosproductions8713]

@@jamieholtsclaw2305 bro

[@hildaenjoyer8862]

The thumbnail makes it look like Lincoln is commenting on himself after his own death.

[@FootballwithGavin]

How is this page not bigger?

[@o5-1-formerlycalvinlucien60]

I love how in the 1800s people can just, message the president about an appointment, without having a dozen men in black guarding and listening to every word the guest says.

[@kevinp.h8655]

Now we need a “How other presidents reacted to JFK’s death” video

[@christopherdibble5872]

I know how they act toTRUMP, JOY, JOY, JOY!

[@99mrpogi]

How other presidents reacted to James Garfield or William McKinley's assassinations

[@ATvlogs872]

And FDR

[@redjirachi1]

Seance: What was your reaction to your death? Lincoln's ghost: I found it pretty rude all things considering. I was really into the play and some theatre geek took me out of it! Booth's damned soul: Who are you calling geek you scruffy-bearded wannabe bartender?! Lincoln's ghost: *Bartender?!* Why if we weren't dead I'd kick your arse!

[@xhagast]

More likely, Lincoln's ghost: "I made many happy selling liquor sir, you made no man happy by killing me." Lincoln was a mild man with no animosity toward anybody. Although he WAS strong enough to kick Booth's booty even as an old man.

[@pocketmarcy6990]

Lincoln would absolutely have bodied Booth 1 on 1

[@edmeister4031]

@@pocketmarcy6990 I mean, he was a wrestler, and supposedly won over 300 matches, losing only a handful. Lincoln really was a badass.

[@PreziesLover327]

@@edmeister4031 Abraham--a true Wrestling Hall of Famer!!

[@nerad1994]

Mr. Beat would love this video

[@shuhratkessikbayev8886]

Knowing Woodrow Wilson I doubt that racist would ever have anything nice to say about Lincoln.

[@antoniasealey]

According to this heree video. I. Love. President. A. Lincoln. He's. Quotes. Was. Amazing. That's. Why. They. Call. Him. Honest. Able. He. Was. Honest!!!! Thanks for sharing ❣️❣️❣️❣️❣️🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💯💯💯💯💯💯💯

[@ReggieT98]

THIS should be taught in schools

[@howdydoo9148]

Damn Garfield was spitting bars in that first quote

[@matthewdavid6134]

I would love reactions of confederates to Lincolns death, were they happy, or afraid of reprecussions? Also at 7:19 Garfeild was so fucking accurate and articulate with why Lincoln was killed, makes me like him more.

[@LeftoverPat]

Garfield's statement was GOAT. Really makes me wish we could've seen him serve longer.

[@scottaznavourian3720]

No mr pierce. . This war is pretty much all your own fault

[@avant4035]

Greatest legal mind I ever knew.

[@KobyOwen]

RIP Abraham McGill

[@blackopsguy1023]

Like a chimp with a Dillinger!

[@TheJudoJoker]

@@KobyOwen I'm just here to speak with my lawyers - Lalo Booth

[@christopherdibble5872]

Lincoln was the greatest, TRUMP was the worst, if you were to ask me, OR 90 PERCENT OF THE REST OF THE INTELLEGENT PEOPLE!

[@woozy7405]

"Towards the end he advocated for generosity for the south, putting him at odds with the administration" Wym? Generosity for the south after the war's end was Lincoln's position

[@Taz_XE076]

No it wasn't, his policy of tariffs aimed to keep the south poor lasted YEARS after his death and Lincoln PERSONALLY ordered General Sherman to DESTROY southern towns and villages so the south couldn't rebuild quickly after the war

[@woozy7405]

​@@Taz_XE076 Did you read? I said AFTER the war. The radicals of his party wanted him to push the South harder for readmission, Lincoln wanted them restored on the best terms they could ask for and as soon as possible. Tariffs by the way were aimed at protecting Northern industry from European competitors so the Union economy wouldn't collapse, *during* the war. And if you don't know your history, Lincoln had a bit of a hole in his head once the war was over so the harsher reconstruction by the radical republicans in congress wasn't his problem.

[@Sly88Frye]

I'm glad that even former presidents and future ones who didn't exactly agree with Abraham Lincoln still mourned him

[@resyndicated]

If you're curious, "The Presidents' War" by Chris DeRose discusses the relationship between Lincoln and other presidents extensively. Really gives a better idea of just how much bitterness Pierce had towards Lincoln. It's harder to tell how Fillmore and Buchanan felt about him.

[@Ab_linc]

Thank you all

[@matthewhedrichjr.5445]

U deserve to be a great president and Buchanan as the most corrupt president ever

[@marsmaniac1]

This same format could be done with JFK, great job on this video.

[@mushroomy9899]

I recently traced my family back and discovered that I was related to Abraham Lincolns mother. I find this very interesting, my grandma also thought this was cool.

[@eatmynutsarchmage4883]

thats super cool

[@mushroomy9899]

@@eatmynutsarchmage4883 thank you! I also apparently had an even further back relative that fought in Washington’s army, he was killed near the end of the war and his daughter outlived him as an astounding 92 years old. She died when she was hit by a biker.

[@Bixen_Bings]

For him to turn out like that, his mother must have been Mother Teresa

[@mushroomy9899]

@@Bixen_Bings I’m actually like 14% Albanian and 34% Macedonian lol

[@kevinstidham7321]

One thing that should have probably been mentioned is that Pierce had sent Lincoln a very empathetic letter a few years earlier, after the death of Willie Lincoln in 1862. Willie Lincoln was the same age as Benjamin Pierce had been when he died in 1853. The sincerity of the letter is touching and that seems to include Pierce’s statement of feeling Lincoln’s unique suffering as he (and his wife) couldn’t help but remember their own tragedy (“I felt your grief”). Lincoln’s reply is apparently lost, but reading the letter leaves no doubt that he must have been extremely moved. How many people could understand the burden of being President while being overwhelmed by the personal loss of a beloved child? “Even in this hour, so full of danger to our Country, and of trial and anxiety to all good men, your thoughts, will be, of your cherished boy, who will nestle at your heart” He signed the letter as “Yr friend … Franklin Pierce” So the natural idea that Pierce let the political differences affect whether he felt sorrowful upon Lincoln’s death, probably has no merit to it. Interesting thought that doesn’t at first seem obvious: Pierce’s own experience probably left him with a unique and deeply-rooted perspective regarding personal mourning and the sphere of politics. www.loc.gov/resource/mal.1479200/?st=text&r=-0.063,-0.604,1,1.207,0

[@resyndicated]

Thanks for sharing. I've heard this story, and I think it's really interesting. There's a lot of information on Pierce's activity during the Civil War, and I plan to cover some of it throughout other videos. For example, I did a video on Pierce's planned meeting of the former presidents. I'd like to do one on his letter to Lincoln about Willie at some point. For this video, I wanted to keep each entry relatively brief and focused, but I do plan to come back to some of these topics in the future.

[@gavinsinkula5345]

You should do something about the other presidential assassinations or potential assassination

[@christopherdibble5872]

One great potential would be TRUMP!

[@birdwife589]

quite the calamity!

[@cald1421]

6:22 I never knew this! Imagine the horror if Grant AND Lincoln were killed! There’d be chaos and anarchy in the south and who knows maybe another war!

[@christopherdibble5872]

Think of the joy there'd be if TROMP WAS ASSASSINATED!

[@DW-nb2zc]

Pierce was not going to be intimidated.

[@TheJudoJoker]

He'd seen far worse. Tragically :(

[@kayzeaza]

Ironic that Pierce thinks the civil war is all on Lincoln hahahaha

[@user-yf6zz3cl8i]

Why is that?

[@kayzeaza]

@@user-yf6zz3cl8i because Pierce did nothing to stop the war, he didn’t do anything at all really

[@edixonvc5101]

@@kayzeaza his son got decapitated in front on him and got into heavy drinking he really wasn’t in the right state of mind

[@kayzeaza]

@@edixonvc5101 okay, I still don’t see how the war was Lincoln’s fault?

[@Asterion_Mol0c]

@@kayzeaza The South shot first the north didn't start the war

[@tr7b410]

The conflicted nature of the political landscape during Lincolns tenure sounds strangely familiar.

[@johnpatterson8697]

I bet Andrew Jackson's take would be funny

[@jeremyc6054]

"what, he didn't catch the bullets with his hand and then beat the snot out of the guy?"

[@pabloni1117]

7:50 based Garfield

[@Johnonayacht]

Still don't know why George Santos shot Lincoln.

[@bruceellenburg429]

Abraham Lincoln, the GOAT

[@matthewhedrichjr.5445]

Yep but not when he first took office at first but not as bad compared to his corrupt predecessor and traitor James Buchanan who refused to confront serious problems and ran on one of the most corrupt administrations, as stated by the Covode Committee who tried to impeach him. Same can apply to another do nothing president, Franklin Pierce. Dr. Charles Leale tried to save Lincoln and took good care of him until he died. Shows that Lincoln is overrated and Buchanan was nothing but a traitor to the Union

[@beavercontrol1743]

could you do a video on The presidents of the United States in Congress Assembled? they arent POTUS's but they're still important figures

[@robertortiz-wilson1588]

I love that idea!

[@discocorco]

9:37 I shouted an explicative. Unreal.

[@ballinjesus8175]

"He's right behind me isn't he?" -Abraham lincoln

[@TnseWlms]

Did anyone ever ask Mrs. Lincoln, "Apart from that, how was the play?"

[@Tom-TV-vl4to]

do a video of U.S president reacting to William McKinley's death

[@shb1033]

I noticed that Franklin pierce looks similar to john booth in the first picture especially, it might just be that they have similar hairstyles of the time period.

[@lmaooyy]

You should do this but with the reactions of Kennedys assassination

[@christopherdibble5872]

What would be the reaction if it was TRUMP, JOY, JOY, JOY!

[@jordansweet8054]

Pierce standing up to a mob that comes to his house is somehow more boss than anything he actually did in office.

[@HerrZhukov]

Considering Wilson was a known confederate apologist, I doubt his reaction to Lincoln’s death would be particularly negative, but I guess we’ll never know.

[@PreziesLover327]

Wilson was only 8, and probably had little memory if at all of what he thought of Lincoln when he was living.

[@HerrZhukov]

@@PreziesLover327 Right. My take was only speculative while taking into account Wilson's irl politics.

[@PreziesLover327]

@@HerrZhukov What does irl stand for?

[@boopdino8053]

@@PreziesLover327 In real life. Their point was that if he would have been older,his reaction probably would not have been negative because of his policies later on

[@TheGroundedAviator]

The whole world expressed the same feelings.

[@billnotice9957]

Just imagine in 100 years how future leaders will be pulled out of the crowd via multiple media. (Example T.R Roosevelt @ 9:35.)

[@mattmc5069]

What did Robert Lee say? Or Longstreet? I wonder how they felt about that whole situation

[@PriceDeepfakes]

Two of these presidents would actually get assassinated themselves later in life😢

[@Americaone1]

Buchanan and Lincoln can not be blamed for the Civil War it was inevitable 🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲

[@Weeblicker]

interesting that pierce would deem the civil war unnecessary and hurtful to the country having served in the Mexican-American war, a more unnecessary and hurtful war.

[@user-ox8gl5rk8n]

turn on subtitles!

[@charlesharris9965]

What did Jefferson Davis have to say about Lincoln's death?

[@christopherdibble5872]

He would said, TRUMP SHOULD BE WITH US if he could

[@namb.]

1:36 I'm sorry, but did you say *Glincoln* ?

[@brennonguilbeau569]

0:56 if I recall correctly, the Lincoln administration was planning on a generous treatment of the South, so I don't understand the narrator's comment.

[@DeezNuggz]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@johndonovan5752]

Right you are! Lincoln urged reconciliation, but the so-called "Radical Republicans" urged a tougher line.

[@DovahFett]

Lincoln was an unknown quantity to a lot of people. When it came to the issues of slavery, the South, and Reconstruction he typically towed a very fine line. Like the narrator mentioned, Lincoln was criticized by his own party for being both too harsh and too lenient towards the South before he had even done anything. People from different parts of the political spectrum liked to guess at how Lincoln would act, but none of them were very good at it. He was a very cautious person who put a lot of thought and planning into his positions before declaring them publicly.

[@robertortiz-wilson1588]

@@DovahFett Well said!